Rotary engine.



PATENTED SEPT. l, 1903.

H. E. SMALLBONE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED Dno.15. 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

N0 MODEL.

No. 737,876. f PATENTBD SEPT. 1, 190s. H. E. SMALLBONE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 15, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

#Mill PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

H. E. SMALLBONE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

IlIlllllllllllllllllllllll PATENTED SEPT. 1,I 1903.

H. E. SMALLBONE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

AprLIoATIoN FILED Dnc. 15. 1902.

NO MODEL.

UNTTED STATES Patented September 1, 1903.

PATENT OEEICE.

HARRY E. SMALLBONE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- EIGHTI'IS TO SAMUEL E. MCDOWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLlNOIS,-AND JACOB SCI-IREINER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,876, dated September 1, 1903.

Application filed December 15, 1902. Serial No. 136,233. (No model.)

Be it known that I, HARRY E. SMALLBONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illin ois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines of a type in which pistons in sets of companion cylinders on shafts at an angle to each otherhaving a common connection in the form of a wabbling frame operating to give angular motion to the companion cylinders and their shafts, whereby the reciprocal motion of the pistons produces rotation of the shafts. A rotary engine of the type referred to is shown, described, and claimed in Le bters Patent- No. G86, 482, granted to me November 12, 1001; and mypresent objects are mainly to provide housing means of improved construction for the moving parts, to render the joints steam-tight, and to provide improved reversing means for the moving parts.

In the present connection only so much of the rotary engine is shown and described as is thought necessary to convey a clear understanding on the present improvements, their functions, and operations, reference being had to my aforesaid Letters Patent for more detailed explanation of the features which though pee uliarto this engine are not thought necessary to illustrate more specifically in the present case'.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a broken view showin g a horizontal plan section of my engine and present improvements; Fig. 2, an enlarged cross-section taken on the irregular line 2 in Fig. l 5 Fig. 3, a broken section taken on line 3 in Fig. 2; Figs. i and 5, enlarged sections on the lines and 5 in Fig. l; Fig. 6, a broken section taken on line 6 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a section taken on line 7 in Fig. (5; Fig. S, an end elevation of one pair of rotary companion cylinders, showing the steam-ports of the cylinders; and Fig. 9, a detail of the reversing mechanism.

A is the frame o. the engine, having an attaching-base a (see Fig. 5) and a shell portion consisting of the closely-fitting sections Z) and c. The part l) throughout its length is somewhat more than semicylindrcal, as shown, the part c forming the cover. The meeting edges of the parts are flanged, and they may be rcmovably secured together in any suitable way. The shell formed by the parts b c forms an angular chamber, the two angular portions of which extend in planes approximating one hundred and thirty-jive degrees with relation to each other. In opposite ends of the shell are bearing-openings d d. In the inner face of the shell are two angular bearing-faces e f in planes approximating forty-five degrees with relation to each other. Fitting against the bearing-faces e f are flanged rings e4 f', bolted in place to the wall of the shell and presenting annular bearing-surfaces e2 f2. Reniovably secured against opposite sides of each beari 11g-ring e f are plates f3, the plates being three in number on each side of each ring, as shown in Fig. 2, and projecting inwardly past the bearing-surfaces of the rings a short distance to form guides, as illustrated most plainly in Fig.

B B are a pair of companion cylinders connected by a central web B2, the whole forming a rotary frame having a tapering opening g through it to receive the shaft C.

D is a similar pair of companion cylinders mounted in the same way upon a shaft E, the shafts C E being in the same horizontal but in vertical planes at an angle approximating one hundred and thirty-iive degrees from each other. One set of companion cylinders and attendant parts being the same as the other set of companion-cylinders and its attendant parts, a description of one-as, for example, the cylindersV B B and attendant parts-will suiii ce for both sets. In each cylinder is a piston F, connected through the connecting 'rod Fl with the wabbling frame G, the said frame being journaled at four points equidistant around its circumference in brackets G', extending from the respective sets of cylinders, substantially as described in my aforesaid Letters Patent. Around each companion set of cylinders, near the open ends thereof, is a bearing-ring II, fitting and sliding around its peripheral face against the inner peripheral surface of the rin gf At each end of the shell portion of the frame A is a stationary head I, forming a steamchest provided with a steam-inlet port h and a steam-exhaust port t'. f The steam-inlet port Zt extends into an annular steam supply chamber I', (see Fig. 4,) and the port Z extends from a segmental steam-exhaust chamber I2. (See Fig. 5.) The steam-chest has a cylindrical inner end portion Z.: fitting through the opening CZ of the main shell, an annular iiange It fitting against the end of the shell around the opening CZ, and fitting upon the outer end of the steam-chest is a'stuffing-box k2 for the shaft. Corresponding with the annular Wall of the inlet-chamber I is an annular bearing-wall Z, which at a point between the steam-inlet chamber I/ and inner end of the valve chest is partly surrounded by the exhaust-chamber (or elongated port) I2. The steam chest presents between the surface Z and its inner end an enlarged inner annular bearing-surface Z, which is the inner circumferential face of the end portion 7c described. At that part of the steam chest which may be called the base of the annular enlarged bearingsurface Z', adjacent to the annular reduced bearing surface Z, is a segmental opening Z2 through the Wall of the steam-chest, which segmental opening Z2 may be of a length corresponding with the part of the circle not taken up by the exhaust chamber or port I2.

K is a valve or reversing-plug having an annular head portion m fitting closely against the annular bearing-surface Z of the valvechest and an annular stem portion n iitting the annular bearing-surface Z of the steamchest. On the stem portion n, at opposite sides of the elongated exhaust-port I2, are packingrings p, as shown. The reversing-plug K has a bell-shaped inner face portion provided with segmental recesses Q Q', separated from each other at opposite sides by cut-off faces Q2 Q2, all as shown most plainly in Fig. 7. The recess Q communicates with a port Q2, extending to and opening into the exhaust port or chamber I2, while the recess Q communicates with a port or passage Q4, extending through the plug and opening into the inlet-chamber I. In the end of the stem portion n is a recess n', provided merely for the purpose of reducing metal. The bell-shaped face of the plug K presents an outer annular bearingsurface Q5 and an inner annular bearing-surface QG, as shown most plainly in Figs. 1, .6, and 7. On the plug K at the plane of the opening Z2 is a mutilated gear p. This gear extends approximately around one-half the circumference of the plug, as indicated most plainly in Fig. 5.

The cylinders B B have a common cylinder.- head B3 in the form of a bell-shaped projection presenting a seating-face conforming exactly to the faces Q5 Q2 Q of the plug K. Extending through the bell-shaped head Bg are the cylinder-ports r. The companion cylinof their strokes, and the ports 0^ are blanked by the cut-off surfaces Q2. In the further rotation of the cylinders with the shaft C the port fr' of one cylinder (namely, the upper cylinder in Fig. l) passes into registration with the recess Q of the plug-bearing face, thus opening the said port to the exhaust, while the port r of the other cylinder passes across the recess Q', thereby opening it to the steamsupply. The location of the ports Q2 Q4 with relation to the cylinders governs the direction of the rotation of the cylinders and shaft, as will be readily understood. In my present construction reversal of the engine is brought about by turning the plug K to reverse the relative positions of the ports Q2 Q4. This revcrsal is brought about by mechanism involving a rock-shaft L, journaled in end brackets Ll and a central bracket L2, all forming an integral part of the frame or casing. On the shaft L, at its center, is a handle L3, having upon it latch mechanism L4 of common construction to engage notches tin a segmental bar t. On opposite ends of the shaft L are sector-gears L5, engaging the mutilated gears p' on the reversing-plugs K. Movement of the handle -Lfrom one notch tto the other notch t rocks the shaft L and segmental gears just far enough to turn the reversing-plugs half of a revolution. During the turning of the plugs the exhaust-port Q3 registers at all times with the elongated exhaust port or chamber I2 and the inlet-port Q4 registers at all times with the steam-inlet chamber l.

' The bell-shaped seating-faces of the cylindricalheads of both sets of companion cylinders conform exactly with the seating-faces of the reversing-plugs K to effect steam-tight joints, and as the plugs are exposed at their outer end portions to the pressure of the incoming steam the said joints are maintained closed and steam-tight all through the operation.

The construction may obviously be modified in the matter of details without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary frame and set of companion cylinders therein, of a bearing surrounding and forming a part of said frame, a shell surrounding said frame and provided with an inner bearing against which said bearing on the IOO IIO

annular bearings against which the said bear- Y ings on the frames rotate.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a steam chest presenting a bearing chamber provided with steain inlet and exhaust ports,

a plug mountedin said steam-chest chamber and having steam-ports Communicating with said inlet and exhaust ports, a rotary frame and set of companion cylinders therein, a common head for the cylinders forming apart of said frame rotating against said plug and provided with ports for the cylinders at opposite sides of its axis of rotation, the plug being exposed at its outer end to steam from said inlet-port whereby it is pressed against said head, for the purpose set forth.

si.. In a rotary engine, the combination of a steam-chest presenting a cylind rieal bearingehaniber provided with steam inlet and exhaust ports, a reversing-plug mounted in said steam-chest chamber and having steam-ports communicating with said inlet and exhaust ports, a rotary frame and set of companion cylinders therein, a common head for the Cylinders forming a part of said frame rotating against said reversing-plug, and provided with ports for the Cylinders at opposite sides of its axis of rotation, and means for turning said reversing-plug, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a rotary engine, the Combination with two sets of companion cylinders at an angle to each other, pistons in said cylinders, and a wabbling-fralne between the sets of cylinders with which said pistons are operatively connected, of two steam-Chests, one for each set of companion cylinders, each chest havin inlet and exhaust ports, a sliding plug in each steam-chest chamber having stea1n-ports Communicating with said inlet and exhaust ports, a eoinrnon head for eaeh set of cylinders rotating against said plugs and provided with ports for the cylinders at opposite sides of its axis of rotation, the plugs being exposed to the steam from the steani-inlets whereby they are pressed against said heads, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination With two sets of companion cylinders at an angle to each other, pistons in said cylinders, and a wabbling-frame between the sets of cylinders with which the pistons are operatively connected, of'two steam-Chests, one for each set of Companion cylinders, each chest having inlet and exhaust ports, reversing-plugs in said steainphests in bearing Contact with the ported ends of the respective sets of cylinders, and having steamports Communicating with their steam-chest inlet and exhaust ports, and means operatively connected With both reversing-plugs for turning them simultaneously, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

HARRY E. SMALLBONE.

In presence of` ALBERT A. BACCI, A. C. KrrTLEsoN. 

